Pyrotechnical auxiliary propelling mechanism for aerostructures.



H. H. BALES.

PYROTEGHNIGAL AUXILIARY PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR AEROSTRUGTURES.

BQZE H. H. BALES.

PYROTECHNIGALAUXILIARY PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR AEROS'I RUGTUEES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1910. 1,003,41 1. Pat nted Sept. 19, 1911.

3 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

- an 2% W H. H. BALES. BYROTEOHNIGAL AUXILIARY PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR AE ROSTRUGTURES.

r APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1910.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- ish HADEN HERBERT BALES, OF ASHCROFT, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

:PYROTECHNIGAL AUXILIARY PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR AER-OSTRUCTURLES.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

Application filed May 4, 1910. Serial No. 559,272.

To all whom it may concern: 2

Be it known that I, HADEN H. BALES, re-

siding at Ashcroft, in the Province of Brit- (JoluI'nbia, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pyrotechnical Auxiliary Propelling Mechanism for Aerostructures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aero-structures, and more particularly to aero-structures of the aeroplane type, and has especial relation to an auxiliary propelling mechanism for such aero-structures, which may be actuated by the operator of the machine at any time that the main power. plant may become incapacitated for any reason.

Another object is to provide a structure I of this type which will be so arranged that 1ts power may be varied within certain limits, and which, while. being eflicient will yet be simple and cheap.

Other objects and advantages will be ap parent from the following description, and it will be' understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

- In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts of the several views, Figure 1 is an elevational 4 is atop plan of the tube. Fig. 5 is a transversesection on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6

,is a longitudinal section through the mochanism for igniting the fuses. Fig. 7 is an .elevationaL view of the modified form of the mechanism connected with the aeroplane for movement to control the direction of movement of the aeroplane. Fig. 8 1s a top plan, partly in section, of the structure shown in Flg. 6

shown an aeroplane at 10 having the for-' Referring now to the drawings, there is wardly disposed main'planes 11, and rearwardly extending tail frame 12. ,Aforwardly located propeller 13 is provided, and

' at the rearward end of the tail frame there are located. the vertical and horizontal .rud-

ders 14. A suitable power plant 15 is pro-. vided and is connected with the propeller 13 for actuation thereof. Depending from the tail frame 12 there are supports 16 to which there is-attached a tube frame 17. This frame includes longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced parallel vertical plates 18, connectedby transverse bolts 19, these bolts being spaced from each other, and being provided with threads of high pitch, 'as shown, to receive lever nuts 20, which may be operated to clamp the plate against a plurality of longitudinal tubes 21 material 26, each of. these fillings of ma-- terial having in its end adjacent to the passage 24, a conical cavity 27.

A circumscribing outwardly projecting rib 28 is formed at the outer end of each of the necks 22 and engaged over the outer ends of these necks, there are closure caps 29 of a character to be quickly destroyed .by heat, but which will nevertheless be waterproof. Each of these caps has a central opening 30, through which there is passed a fuse 31, this fuse at its inner end being embedded in the inflammable core 26 at the large or rearward end of the conical cavity 27.

Outwardly of the closures 29 the fuses are carried forwardly between the plate 17 and resting upon the bolts 19 and terminate at a plate 30 located within reach of the operators'seat of the aeroplane, and provided with upwardly extending nipples 31' arranged to receive explosive caps 32 which may be fired to ignite the fuses. Triggers are provided and are arranged to forcefully. strike these caps when released, and as will be seen, the mechanism is provided for individual operation of-these-triggers so that any one'or any set of the tubes 21 may be ignited as desired.

As-will be understood, when the fuses are ignited, they will quickly burn to the closures 29, which will be destroyed, and the fuses willthen burn into the tubes and ignite the inflammable cores 26. I The conical cavities 27 will provide a large burning surface, so that high pressure will be at once generated within the tubes by the gases incident to the combustion of the material, and these gases will pass out through the passages 24, and will strike the air, the impact incident thereto forcing the aeroplane forwardly, the mechanism thus providing a quickly operable auxiliary power plant for use in the event of an accident to the main ppwer plant, or the exhaustion of a fuel sup- P Y- As shown, the tubes 21 are exteriorly wound withwire to increase their strength and, as will be understood, any one or any number of the tubes may be removed from the frame for the replacement thereof by loaded tubes.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 7 the tube receiving frame is carried by the rearward end of a bar A which is mounted pivotally in a. hanger B secured to the tail frame of the aeroplane,

the pivot point being located between the ends of the bar. A handle C is provided at the forward end of the bar, within reach of the operator of the aeroplane, and by means i of this handle the tube frame may be shifted vertically in an arc to vary the direction of discharge of gases from the tube.

A pair of divergent arms extend forwardly from the'hanger B, one below and one above the bar A, and these arms are indicated at D. At their forward ends they are secured to a vertically extending rack E, and a dog F is mounted upon the bar A and is arranged for interchangeable engagement with the teeth of the rack to hold the bar at different points of its pivotal movement.

Adjustablebalance springs are en aged in rearwardly turned end portions (3- of the rack E, these balance springs being indlcated at H, and, as shown, the springs bear,

. upon the bar A, and the triggers 33 are also provided as shown. The, manner of ex lod ing the cap and thus igniting the fuses is the same as that described in connection with the previously illustrated form.

. A grip I is pivoted to the bar and extends in operative relation to the handle 0, and is connected with the dog F, so that the dog will be retracted when the grip'is moved "toward the handle. The direction of move- .ment of the, aeroplane may thus be controlled to a considerableextent by shifting the bar upon its pivot oint. At the forward end of each tube, t ere is a removable plug 41 firmly fixed in position by detachablefasteners 40 and, as will be seen, this plug may be removed when the tubes are to be reloaded. In order to form the cavity 27 aucomcalexpansible mandrel can be intro duced through'the neck-of thetube by rerearwardly of the levers.

parallel tubes mounted in t movin the choked bushing 23 the combustible illing can then be tightly packed around the mandrel, the mandrel can then be reduced in diameter and withdrawn from the tube, the bushing being replaced in the neck of the tubeand cemented in position.

.The fuse or quick-match 31 is covered with a protecting and damp resisting covering and only exposed at its extremities. The structure for igniting the fuses is clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The triggers 33 and located w1t at 50, and the triggers are equipped with fingers 51 which receive therebeneath the noses 52of dogs 53 which are pivoted to the top of the box 50, and which are arranged to hold the triggers with their hammers 33 elevated above the cap 32.

The triggers are arranged in series longitudinally of the box 50, as will be seen, and from the rearward to the forward endof the box the fingers 51 of the triggers are of gradually increased length. The noses 52 of the dogs are correspondingly decreased in length so that from the fron't to the rearwardend of the box a greater movement of each successive dog is necessary in order'to spring the trigger engaged thereby.

The several dogs are connected by means of a horizontal rod 54 pivoted. thereto it being understood that the dogs ofeach series the nipples 31' are in a water-tight box, indicated with the rearward end of the box by means of a spring 55, which normally holds the dogs in finger engaging position.

An actuating leverfor each series of trig gers is provided, as indicated at 56, and a rod 57 connects the lever with its series of dogs. It will thus be seen that when any one of the levers 56 is moved forwardly to a slight extent, the foremost trigger 33 of that series will be released, and continued forward movement of the lever will successfully release the other triggers of the series.

Upright members 58 are pivoted rearwardlyof the levers 56, which are arranged in a transverse series, as shown, and these members have a horizontal bar 59 which lies A forwardly extending handle 60 is connected with this bar,

and thus, by drawing the handle forwardly,' the several levers 56 may all be moved at one time, to release all of the triggers 33, and fire the complete battery of tubes.

What is claimed is; 1. An auxiliary propelling mechanism for airships comprising a frame a plurality of he frame, each of said tubes having a reduced opening at one end, an inflammable filling within each of the tubes, a closure for theopening of 3 each tube, sa1d closures being of'a character to be destroyed through the action'of heat, fuses passed through'theclosures and comnism comprising a plurality of the tubes either of rocket tubes secured in said filling for said tube, a

mounte on the bolts, tubes resting on the ders, and s'elective'mechanism for or all of the cylinders as desired.

selective mechanism for firing the tubes of end of the tube, the -inflamma e filling for municating with the inflammable fillings of the tubes, and selective mechanism for firing the fuses either singly or simultaneously.

2. In an airship, the combination with the main frame, of a battery of rocket cylinders depending therefrom, means for adjusting the position of the battery to regulate the direction of discharge of the rocket cylinfiring any 3. A propelling mechanism for an airship comprising a tube a plug engaged within one end of the tu ,removable means for holding the plug in position, said tube having a reduced neck at its opposite end provided with-a passage therethrough communi eating with the interior of the tube, a sleeve engaged within the passage, and having a central passage in itself reduced at its center and flared at its end, an inflammable filling within the tube and means for igniting the a main propelling mechanism for the aeroplane, and an auxiliary pro lling mechao f tubes, each of said tubes having a rearwardly directed opening, a filling of inflammable material within the tubes, and manually controlled selective mechanism for igniting the filling singly or simultaneously.

5. A combination with an airshi of aframe pivotally supported thereby atattery ame and having their discharge openings at the rear, means for .regulatingthe pivotal movement of the frame to control the direction of discharge of the tubes, and manually controlled the battery either singly or in a volley.

6. The combination with an aeroplane hav ng main propelling mechanism, of an auxiliary propelhng means therefor, said means comprising a tube closed at one end, and having a/rearwardly directed opening formed at the other end, an inflammable removable moisture proo closure for the opening at the rear 1 the tube being packed to provide a longitudinally extendln recess centrally thereof at the rear end, an an igniting fuse having one end fitting into said space throughthe opening,

7. The combinationwith an air-ship, of plates depending therefrom, bolts connecting 'saidjplates, supplemental plates slidably bolts between the various plates, means mounted on the ends of the bolts for clamping the plates against the tubes to retain the latter in position, and selective mechanism for firing the various tubes as desired;

"8, The combination with an air-ship, of rocket tubes supported therebelow, selective 1 mechanism for firing said tubes, and means for adjusting the tubes to regulate the direction of discharge of the gases of said tubes.

9. The combination with an air-ship, of a frame depending therefrom, a second frame pivotally secured to the first, rocket tubes mounted in the latter frame, selective mechanism for firing said tubes, and means for securing the tube bearing frame in pivotally adjusted position to regulate the direction of discharge of the tube.

10. The combination with an air-ship, of a supplemental frame depending therefrom, a rack formed on said frame, a lever pivotally secured to the frame, rocket tubes carried by one end of the lever, an operating handle on the other end of the lever, a dog adjacent said handle for engagement with the rack to secure the handle in pivotally adjusted position, and selective mechanism mounted on the lever adjacent the handle for firing the tubes. 4

11. The combination with an air-ship, of a frame depending therefrom, rocket tubes mounted in the frame, inflammable fillings in said tubes, fuses connected to said fillings,

and selective mechanism for firing said fuses,

said mechanlsm comprising percussion caps.

mounted on the other ends of the fuses,

spring actuated hammers for striking saidcaps, means for normally holding said hammers out of engagement with the caps' against the tension of the springs, anda handle for moving said means out of engagement with the hammers to permit the hammers to strike the caps and thus ignite the fuses.

. 12. The combination with an air-ship, of rocket tubes containing inflammable material mounted therebelow, fuses for lighting said material, and selective mechanism forfiring said fuses, said mechanism comprising a casing having passages formed therein through which the free ends of the fuses extend, percussion caps mounted in the casing and resting on the ends of the fuses, spring actuated hammers adapted to strike said caps, dogs pivoted to the casing and havm noses of different lengths engaging the di ferent hammers to hold them out of engagement with the caps a springs, a rod pivotal y connecting the dog, and a handle for moving said rod, different degrees of movement of the handle moving the several dogs to release their handles according to the length of the nose of the said dog.

13. The combination with an air-ship, of

rocket tubes containing inflammable ma-' nism comprising a casing-having a row of apertures formed therein for the fuses of each row of tubes, percuslon caps secured inst the force of the in the easing to the ends of, the fuses, s ring actuated hammers having noses of di erent lengths increasln toward the rear, dogs pivoted to the cas n and having noses similarly increasing in ength engaging the corresponding noses of the hammers, a rod pivoted to the dogs of each row, a handle for shifting said rod, the movement of the handle releasing the hammers sequentially according to the lengths of the interengaging noses of the dogs and hammers, said hammers when released striking the caps and thus igniting the fuses, a bar pivotally supported by the casin and adapted to engage the operating han es for the dogs of the several rows, and means for shifting the bar v to operate the handles of the various, rows simultaneously.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses. HADEN HERBERT BALES.

Witnesses:

JAMES MURPHY, RODERICK JOHN MOKAY. 

